Basic Needs Program of Catholic Charities Receives DuPont Grant

June 12, 2024 – Wilmington, DE – The Basic Needs program of Catholic Charities, of the Diocese of Wilmington, received $5,000 through a DuPont Community Impact Grant. This grant will assist low-income households experiencing a financial crisis to pay for basic expenses such as rent, mortgage, utilities, food, or clothing. Catholic Charities works with partner organizations throughout the region, and is prepared to help those in need using its extensive network. The DuPont funds will support the efforts to meet the basic needs of qualified individuals in our region. 

“DuPont is a committed corporate partner, dedicated to providing support to Delawareans in need. Catholic Charities is proud to work with DuPont to share our resources with the most vulnerable,” said Samantha Wallace, Interim Executive Director. 

Catholic Charities Basic Needs program focuses on avoiding homelessness and connecting clients to essential medical and behavioral health care services. Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington has been serving those in need since 1830. They offer multiple services to strengthen families, assist the disadvantaged, and build relationships throughout Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland. For more information, please go to https://www.ccwilm.org/ or call your local Catholic Charities office. 

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington is a faith-based, social services organization, delivering critical direct care human services to over 83,000 individuals and families residing in Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore. To learn more about Catholic Charities, please visit https://www.ccwilm.org

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington and Goodwill Announce a Collaborative Donation Partnership

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington and Goodwill of Delaware & Delaware County continue an operational collaboration benefitting people served by both non-profit organizations.

As part of the collaboration, parishes in the Wilmington Diocese will host donation drives in partnership with Goodwill. Donated items will be sold in Goodwill stores across Delaware, generating revenue for Goodwill’s non-profit mission. Goodwill will provide compensation to Catholic Charities for the donations collected, helping Catholic Charities to continue its mission services in the same communities it serves today.

“With the closing of our Catholic Charities thrift shops in Delaware we were looking for ways to continue generating revenue for our mission services,” shared Catholic Charities Executive Director Fritz Jones. “Partnering with Goodwill to accept donations that would have come to our former thrift shops seemed a natural progression, in alignment with the missions of both organizations.”

“Goodwill is humbled to partner with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington – the city where we were founded more than 100 years ago – to help this highly-regarded non-profit organization continue to meet the needs of some of Delaware’s most vulnerable citizens,” said Goodwill of Delaware & Delaware County CEO Colleen Morrone. “Much like the work we do at Goodwill, Catholic Charities connects people with vital human services and supports the development of every human to their full potential. We are happy to be partnering and helping Catholic Charities continue to serve people in our communities.”

Individual parishes in the Wilmington Diocese will determine whether and when to host donation drives. Compensation for items donated during each drive will go back to the local host parish to support their programs. Outside of donation drives, donors wishing to give items to Catholic Charities will be directed to a nearby Goodwill location.

Catholic Charities (www.cdow.org/charities), the social services arm of the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, has been serving those in need for more than 190 years, offering a wide range of services to strengthen families, care for children, assist the disadvantaged and build human relationships throughout Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Catholic Charities’ Seton Center Awarded Three Grants

May 22, 2024 — Wilmington, Delaware — Catholic Charities’ Seton Center, located at 30632 Hampden Ave., in Princess Anne, Maryland, has been awarded two grants from the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore. The Community Needs Grant provides $10,000 for operating expenses, the Community Initiatives Grant pledges $15,000 in funding to expand Seton Center’s thrift store and a $5,000 Grant provides Seton Center direct assistance and transportation expenses to women.

Seton Center is a multi-purpose community center committed to the work of advocacy, outreach and assistance. The staff work to identify and respond to Somerset County residents who are struggling to meet basic needs. Offering financial assistance with rent, utility, and prescription medication, access to food through a self-help cooperative and emergency pantry, counseling services, and healthcare resources, Seton Center staff and volunteers work to make the community a better place. The thrift store on site specializes in new and gently used clothing and household goods, and its expansion will allow larger items to be available, such as furniture or appliances.

“Catholic Charities deeply appreciates the generosity of the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore in awarding $30,000 in grants to Seton Center. These funds will enable us to assist many families in Somerset County,” said Samantha Wallace, Interim Executive Director. “We are grateful for this opportunity to partner with CFES to improve lives in our community.”

Catholic Charities, the social service arm of the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, has been serving those in need for over 193 years, offering a wide range of services to strengthen families, assist the disadvantaged, and build relationships throughout Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland. For more information, please go to https://www.ccwilm.org/ or call your local Catholic Charities office.

Established in 1984, the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore is a public foundation and a 501c3 nonprofit, serving Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset counties. Their mission is to strengthen the community by connecting people who care with causes that matter to improve the quality of life in their region. It has an inspiring history of fostering charitable endeavors, and has provided more than $107 million in grants and scholarships to the local community since inception. CFES collaborates with individuals, families, and businesses to match their charitable interests with community needs and strengthen local nonprofits through grants and resources. They are devoted to improving their regional community and believe in the power of philanthropy. To learn more, visit https://www.cfes.org/

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington to Operate Reopened Princess Anne Homeless Shelter near Seton Center

May 17, 2024 – Princess Anne MD – Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington will reopen and manage the facility formerly known as Lower Shore Shelter located at 12518 Somerset Avenue in Princess Anne, Md.

For many years, Catholic Charities has operated the nearby Seton Center, a multi-purpose neighborhood community center located in Princess Anne. Seton Center was established in 1983 by the Sisters of Charity to serve the needs of the community.

“We look forward to reopening the shelter and welcoming those who are in need,” Bishop William E. Koenig said May 17. “It is another opportunity for the Catholic community to answer the Gospel mandate to love our neighbor by helping the less fortunate. We are blessed to be able to expand our services in Somerset County in this manner.”

The shelter, which has been closed since the summer of 2023, is owned by Somerset County. Catholic Charities will lease the home in the hopes of opening the new shelter by mid-summer 2024. The name of the new shelter will be determined at a later date.

With locations in Wilmington, Newark, Dover, Georgetown and Milton, Del., and Princess Anne, Md., Catholic Charities is responsible for directing and coordinating the charitable and social service programs of the Diocese of Wilmington. It offers a wide range of human services to strengthen families, care for children and the aged, assist the disadvantaged, and build human relationships. It works in concert with other religious, non-profit, and public agencies, and in collaboration with business and professional communities.

No one is excluded from service because of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin or ability to pay.

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington is a faith-based, social services organization, delivering critical direct care human services to over 83,000 individuals and families residing in Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore. To learn more about Catholic Charities, please visit https://www.ccwilm.org

Social services leader Ruth Anne White named executive director of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Wilmington

Photo: Ruth Anne White, executive director, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Wilmington

May 15, 2024 – Wilmington, DE – Bishop Koenig has appointed Ruth Anne White as executive director of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Wilmington, it was announced May 15.

White comes to the diocese from the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare in College Park, Md., where she served as its co-founder and executive director since May 2008. She replaces Fritz Jones who retired in January after 45 years of service in leadership with Catholic Charities.

“Ms. White is one of the nation’s leading experts on child welfare and housing policy. We are blessed to have her join our diocese as the new executive director of Catholic Charities,” said Bishop Koenig. “Her vast experience working with the homeless, youth and children, coupled with her tremendous management and administrative experience, makes her the ideal person to lead our ministries serving our most vulnerable brothers and sisters in Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore.”

In addition to her tenure at the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare, White has served as director of housing and community development policy for Catholic Charities USA in Alexandria, Va.; director of housing and homelessness for the Child Welfare League in Washington; program manager for the Hospitality Center and VOA Family Shelter for Volunteers of America of Central Ohio in Columbus, and family development specialist and interim director for Lutheran Social Services Supportive Housing Department in Columbus, Ohio.

White has a degree in social work from Ohio State University, a master’s degree in social administration from Case Western Reserve University and is a doctoral candidate, National School of Social Service at Catholic University of America.

She has served on many boards, received multiple honors and has been involved in countless community activities. She has served as adjunct faculty at Gallaudet University and Catholic University of America. Additionally, her work has been featured in various publications and she has given presentations on topics such as housing, homelessness, human behavior, child welfare and families.

“As I prepare to join the Catholic Charities team in Wilmington, I do so with a profound sense of gratitude to Bishop Koenig, the board of directors and the sophisticated network of professionals and parishioners who deliver God’s message of hope and love through their life and work,” White said.  “I look forward to investing the inspiration I draw from my Catholic faith and tapping the goodwill of others to dramatically expand our capacity to help shape strong, healthy, and vibrant communities across Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore.”

She is scheduled to start her new job in July.

Article and photo courtesy of The Dialog.

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington is a faith-based, social services organization, delivering critical direct care human services to over 83,000 individuals and families residing in Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore. To learn more about Catholic Charities, please visit https://www.ccwilm.org

A Catholic Forum Video Interview: 
Learn about the Pro-life Work at Bayard House

May 8, 2024 – Wilmington DE – On this Catholic Forum Video Interview, Stephanie Kelton, Fund Development and Public Relations Manager for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington talks with Stacy Brooks, Program Manager of Bayard House for Catholic Charities. Stacy talks about the residential program that serves at-risk, homeless, pregnant and/or newly parenting adolescent, young women and their babies. 

Catholic Forum is heard every Saturday at 1:30 p.m. on Relevant Radio 640 and is podcast on Apple, Spotify, iHeartRadio and Amazon Music podcasts. To listen to the podcast, visit https://catholicforumradio.libsyn.com/learn-about-the-pro-life-work-of-catholic-charities-bayard-house.

To view the interview on the Diocese of Wilmington’s YouTube channel, visit YouTube.com/DioceseofWilm.

Bayard House is the only licensed residential program in Delaware providing direct client care service twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, to at-risk, homeless, pregnant and/or newly parenting adolescents, young women, and their babies. The Bayard House program helps young women become nurturing parents and self-sufficient, contributing members of society.

This year’s Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal theme is “One Body, One Spirit in Christ.” We invite our parishoners to join us in this vital mission and beacon of hope and unity. Your appeal donation enables us to provide resources for education, formation, ministry and outreach to those in need. To create a pledge, make a one-time donation or a recurring gift, click here

Help Bayard House during Nat’l Diaper Awareness Month. Clean diapers are a basic need of every baby and toddler. We accept donations of diapers, hygiene items, cash and gift cards at all Catholic Charities locations Mon-Fri 9am-4pm. For more information, click here.

Sign up for Catholic Charities newsletter “Faith Works Wonders.” Check out our latest news and events, learn about how we help needy families and individuals in our community, and stay connected. To read this month’s issue, click here.

Catholic Charities graciously thanks all of our guests & sponsors for being a part of this year’s Annual Tribute Dinner “Heartstrings of Hope”. If you haven’t signed up for our newsletter yet, see photos of the event in our next issue. To sign up, click here